Improvement in railroad-signals



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ABRAHAM S. MILLER, OF `ZANlilSliiIELD, GHIO, ASSIGNOR T0 HIMSELE J. I. JAMES, AND CHARLES FOLSOM, 0F SAME ILAGE.

Letters Patent No. 71,896, dated December IO, 1867.

IMPROVEMENT IN RAILROAD-SIGNALS.

IO ALL WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:

Bc it known that I, ABRAHAM S. MILLER, of Zane'seld, in the county ofLQgan, and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railroad-Signals; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exa-ct description of the saine, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which are made part of this specification.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a railroad-track and signal, illustrating my invention.

Figure 2 is a detached View of the signal.

Similar 1ct-ters of reference indicate corresponding parts intho tivo figures.

This signal is chciy designed to prevent the collision of trains upon curves, and consists in apeculiar comi bnation of triggers, to be operated by thc Contact of the passing train, and connections, which communicate motion to the signal proper, so as to tirst turn the same to its Warningposition in approaching the curve, and then reset the signal when the point of danger is passed.

In order that others skilled in the art to which my invention appcrtains may hc enabled to fully understand and usc th'e same, I Wiil proceed to describe it in connection with the accompanying drawings.

A represents a disk or plate, constituting the signal proper, which is mounted upon the weighted roch-shaft B, and supported, at a prominent point, by thevpost C. .When the disk is in its vertical position, as indicated bye;v

the red line-s, fig. I, it gives warning to a train which may he approaching the curve of tract: D, in the direction of the arrow 1, that another train is approaching in Ythe opposite direction, and the point at which the lastm'entioned trainl acts upon the trigger E, to turn the disk A into-its warning position, is sufficiently distant from the signal to aiIord adequate time for the iirstanc'ntioncd train to avoid collision. The trigger' E is situated betiveenthe rails D D, and is hung loosely upon the end of a rock-shaft, F; the lower cnd of the trigger being weighty, so as to cause it to assume a vertical position after being turned or vibrated in either direction by the ears which pass over it. The end of 'the shaft F is bent upward, and thon projects inward; the projectionf being struck by the trigger when the latter is vibrated by the cow-catcher of the oars moving in direction of arrow 2. This action of the trigger E upon the projectionfrocks the shaft F and vibratcs the lever G through the medium of the arm H and lever I. As implied by the foregoing, the lever G may be some distance, say a mile, more er less, frorn the signal A.' Hence to connect the lever G with the signal, I employ a wire or analogous connection l, which may be supported upon posts K, planted at suitable intervals along the track, and provided with pulleys K The wire .I is attached to the lower end of the eccentric-lever L, which is pivoted to the signal-post G, and which, being actuated bythe lever G, through the wire J, serves to raise the notched bar or catch M, thus releasing the lin or projection b and shaft B, and permitting the latter to bc partially rotated by the weight B', so as to turn the signal A into its vertical or warning position. The signal remains in this position until the train reaches the second trigger E', which operates in conjunction with a rock-shaft, F', having a projection, f', and an arm, H', the latter boing connected to the signal through the medium of wire and arm O. When the cou-catcher of the t1'ain.(moving in direction of arrow 2) acts upon `the trigger; E', the wire N draws upon the arm O, and throws thc sigual'A into its horizontal position, in which it is heid by. the catch M, which. is held in engagement with the iin b on shaft B by the spiral spring ld'. rhc catch M may be held in engagement with the shaft B by its'own gravity, or a weight may be used in place of the spring M. From the above it will be seen that the functionfof the trigger E is to throw the signal into its conspicuous position, While that oi' thc trigger E' is to reset the signal when the cars have passed thc place Where collisions would he likely to occur. l.

P P1 are arms, which may be cmploycdlin connection with or in lieu of the weight B'. These arms are joined to the horizontal shaft I, which is jourualled in the signal-post C. When the eccentric-lever L is draivn away from the post C, it acts upon the lower bent end of the arm P1, and raises said arm; the consequent vibration of the arm P serving to vibrate the arm Il', to which it is connected by thc rod or Wire Q. It is manifest that the arm II', thus operated, will turn the signal A drawing upon. the wire or rod N, and, as the latter can be made to move the-signal both Ways, itfollotvs that the vveight B' is not a necessary appliance, althoughv it may be preferable.

The disk or4 signal A has a reilceting-plate, o, secured to that side of it which is presented toward the approaching train, and which, by reflecting the light thrownupcn it by the locomotive head-light, renders the signal conspicuous' at night. When the signal A is in its horizontal position, the reflector will be on the under side, which, iu a great measure, obviatcs the damage resultingr from exposure to the weather.

Two signals, constructed as above, and located at the two extremes of a curveywill e'ectually prevent accidents; but it is manifest that the signal may be usefully employed in the vicinity of switches, crossings, &c

Having thus described my invention, what I elaimas new herein, and desire te secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination of the trigger E and rock-shaft Ff with a railroad-signal and suitable intermediate connections, so arranged that the contact of the train with, said trigger shall throw the signal into its-conspicu- Ous position, substantially as described.

2. The arrangement of the trigger, E, rock-shaft Ff, arm H, link I, lever G', wire J, eccentric-lever L, catch M, and shaft B, signal A, and weight B or its equivalent, (P I P2 Q,) substantially as and for the purpose specified. I

3. The arrangement ofthe trigger E', rockshaft Ff, arm H', and rod or other suitable connection- N, all arranged and operating substantially asvaud for the purpose set forth. l

4. I claim the combination, lwith the diskA or signal A, of the reiecting-plate a, substantially as and for the object stated.

ABRAHAM S. MILLER.

Witnesses:

S. B. THOMAS, JAMES CREW.v 

